A rare locality piece! Obviously from a pegmatite, this stout, doubly-terminated, lustrous and translucent danburite crystal is studded on one face with several translucent green elbaites, to 5 mm in length. The danburite is to 6.8 cm on edge. The danburite crystal has been contacted on the back, but that is not visible when orienting the specimen and it displays fairly impressively. Such pegmatite origin danburites are uncommon. Baja minerals in general are pretty hard to come by as there are few industrial grade deposits, and most of these come from artisanal, hand exploration pits and claims spread far and wide.

A very fine and rich display-sized example of colemanite, the classic beautiful mineral from this mine! These robust crystals are considered by many to be world's best of species material. Colemanite, perhaps the best collected and crystallized of the calcium rich borates, seldom comes in crystals so lustrous from other localities, and seldom in crystals so big (or it did so once perhaps, especially in Turkey, but where are those specimens now?). This specimen, a complete floater with no visible points of attachment, is highlighted by several doubly-terminated, lustrous and translucent, ivory colored crystals, to 9 cm in length. It has some subtle color zoning. It has high luster.

An extremely rich specimen, displayable, of this rare species. A powdery, snow white coating of veatchite, an uncommon strontium-rich borate, covers crystals of lustrous and translucent, colorless colemanite (to 1 cm).

Subtly-shaded tan and white acicular crystals of scolecite, a member of the zeolite family, have formed here with exquisite patterns, including a "bow tie." The acicular crystals reach 3 cm in length. Aesthetic and VERY RARE, this is a superb example of this species from Mexico. In fact, other than India and a few small finds elsewhere, this is actually quite a rare species from anywhere and this particular piece stunned me when I saw it was from Mexico. Aesthetic, on its own merits, ad complete all around, this is one of those total surprises you see occasionally turn up in old collections

A superb example, very aesthetic, of this rare borate! Emplaced on a knoll of matrix is a spiky ball of lustrous and translucent, elongate white crystals, to 1 cm in length, of hydroboracite ( a calcium and magnesium rich borate).

Emplaced on matrix is a cluster of sparkling, snow white crystals to 3 cm in length, of meyerhoffite pseudomorphing inyoite. These are related and very rare calcium-rich borates. This replacement, and either species in big sharp crystals, is seldom found at any other locality (although recent finds in Argentina produced some). Such a pseudomorph is a very classic locality piece for this important deposit, though they are now only seldom seen for sale. Note, these are particularly soft and fragile - so large, cabinet pieces like this in good condition are hard to come by today. The color is a gorgeous white, literally like snow.

The Cryo Genie produced only a few magnificent pockets in its short and erratic lifetime as a specimen mine in the 1990s, but this was always one of the more celebrated pieces, for sheer impact and color. It went into the noted collection of the late Al Ordway, who specialized in unusual California localities. This piece is huge and dramatic, and has NEON PINK color, not anything normal in a shade of pink or red hue for San Diego or any other mine. this is quite literally the hottest pink tourmaline I have seen in this size, from San Diego. Aside from its specimen value, it is worth a fortune for carving value to the people who make carved buddhas and dolphins out of tourmaline...what a tragedy that would be, though! It is a real honor to have another great Cryo-Genie specimen of this magnitude to offer on the site. Very, very few tourmalines of this size and importance came out of the mine. This weighs several pounds, by the way; and I feel that it would be carved and sold already if it was from a more famous locale than this remote little mine in San Diego. Joe Budd Photos.

Sharp pink crystals to fully 1 centimeter (decent sized for species) perched on albite matrix, from a rare and one-off find of this very rare species (1970s). You will almost never see a matrix example for sale! 6 nice crystals are present. These crystals have a nice pink-lavender color in person, to their cores. Small black Arfvedsonite is in association. Ex Mike Groben collection, to Demetrius Pohl, to Al Ordway in 1994.Joe Budd Photos

A really rich specimen of solid material, composed of the rare silicate foshagite in lateral crystals grown parallel to each other. Al Ordway collected this in the early 1970s, himself. I have not seen such pieces for sale in my time, of this species, and it seems to be a good one for size and richness, compared to other examples I have found through MINDAT. TYPE LOCALITY

A very rare specimen of gerstleyite - an extremely rare sulfide species (containing sodium with antimony and arsenic) known from just a few small finds at this boron mining district, and nowhere else. I have seen but 2 other pieces for sale in 20 years. This one was obtained by Al Ordway in trade from the American Museum of Natural History curator in 1980. It features a characteristic radial spray of gerstleyite, with minute crystals embedded in the host matrix. It is one of the rarest of sulfide species or California species to obtain.

An old specimen Al Ordway bought from another local collector in 1977. Despite all the mining in the area, this species has remained rare til today. This is a very rich miniature with lustrous, sharp sprays on matrix.